<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Traditions by ABrighterDarkness</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23654155">Traditions</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ABrighterDarkness/pseuds/ABrighterDarkness'>ABrighterDarkness</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tony Stark Bingo [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Avengers Family, Awesome Sarah Rogers, Birthday, Birthday Cake, Birthday Fluff, Birthday Party, Birthday Sex, Bucky Barnes Remembers, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Family Fluff, Multi, Polyamory, Protective Bucky Barnes, Romantic Fluff, Steve Rogers Feels, Steve Rogers's Birthday, Surprise Party, Tony Stark Has A Heart</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-14</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 09:01:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,635</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23654155</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ABrighterDarkness/pseuds/ABrighterDarkness</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It was simple and domestic, undressing, preparing for bed and then climbing in and curling comfortably around each other.  A year ago, Tony wouldn’t have thought this sort of thing was something he could have.  Hell, a year ago, he hadn’t even known that he was, yet again, missing Steve’s actual birthday.  And now, here they were. </p><p>----------<br/><b><br/><span class="u">Written for:<br/>Tony Stark Bingo:</span><br/>Chapter 1: K3 - Image of Tony working on Bucky's arm<br/>Chapter 2: R4 - Steve Rogers/Captain America<br/>Chapter 5: R2 - Wish</b></p><p> </p><p>  <b><span class="u"> Bucky Barnes Bingo</span><br/>Chapter 1: K3 - "Oh Hell No"<br/>Chapter 2: U1 - Domesticity<br/>Chapter 3: C2 - Bucky/Steve</b></p><p> </p><p>  <b><span class="u">Natasha Bingo</span><br/>Chapter 5: I1 - Found Family</b></p><p> </p><p>  <b><span class="u">Marvel Polyship Bingo </span><br/>Chapter 3: B4 - Handjobs<br/></b></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts &amp; Tony Stark, Steve Rogers &amp; Avengers Team, Steve Rogers &amp; Natasha Romanov, Steve Rogers &amp; Sam Wilson, Tony Stark &amp; Avengers Team, pre-Pepper Potts/Natasha Romanov</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Tony Stark Bingo [8]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1599133</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>155</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Bucky Barnes Bingo 2020, Natasha Bingo, Tony Stark Bingo 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Lost and Found</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I have a <i>huge</i> soft spot for Captain America's BDay being July 4th but Steve Rogers' Bday being something entirely different.  It's a trope I've not written yet but the idea hit me and I was hooked and here is the results of that inspiration! </p><p>There are five chapters to this fic and it is entirely complete.  I will be posting a chapter each day over the next five days so by Saturday you'll have the whole story to read.</p><p>As you can see in the fun summary, I'm knocking out a number of bingo squares with this one.  It actually made it a lot of fun seeing what sort of inspiration I could get from what was already bouncing around in my head and the prompts offered by the bingo squares.</p><p>A huge thank you to <span class="u">HogwartsToAlexandria</span> for the beta on this and helping me get it prettied up for posting!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>”We should probably start figuring out something for Steve's birthday, ” Bucky commented, seemingly at random, breaking the quiet that had fallen while Tony attempted to focus on implementing the upgrades that he had finally managed for Bucky’s arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony frowned slightly and replied absently, ”Already? We haven't even gotten through Barton's Friendsgiving thing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>”Yeah but that doesn't leave us a whole lot of time, ” Bucky pointed out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>”How much time do you think I need?” Tony asked with a slight smirk. ”I mean, I like a good fireworks show as much as the next guy but I don't need a whole nine months to plan a birthday display.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky didn't verbally respond but went unusually still, his body matching the utter stillness of the metal arm gripped in Tony's hands. And then he sighed heavily, the sound coming out like a low and frustrated growl. Tony stole a peek up at his expression and was unsurprised that it matched the sound. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Fuckin’ Punk, ” he muttered under his breath and shook his head with a wry chuckle. He looked back to Tony with a look of resigned amusement and Tony's confusion only deepened. Thankfully, Bucky seemed to take pity on him, ”Steve’s birthday isn't </span>
  <em>
    <span>actually</span>
  </em>
  <span> July 4th, Tony.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony narrowed his eyes and shook his head slowly because that still didn't clarify anything. ”That...doesn’t make any sense. Of course it is, it's practically legendary by now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>”Captain America's birthday is listed as July 4th but that was all adopted for wartime propaganda, ” Bucky explained slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait. You’re telling me…” Tony shook his head again, more rapidly. “You know what, nevermind. Of course he would. This is Steve Rogers we’re talking about.” He sighed and dropped the tool that had been hanging uselessly in his hand onto the bench beside him and leaned back into his chair in consideration. “When is it actually?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“December 18th,” Bucky said, reaching across with his right hand to close the panel on his left arm before snagging another chair and dropping into it. He paused a moment and then smiled with what Tony thought to be entirely too much bitterness. “That was my biggest issue, you know, with the serum.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That he let them convince him to lie about his own birthday?” Tony grumbled.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky shrugged, “That he let them push the little Punk to the wayside.  It wasn’t just the sickly kid that they got rid of. Lotsa folks forgot all about Steve Rogers when your old man helped the Little Punk turn into the Big Punk. And he let them. Stevie’s always been the type to go all in when he steps up to something, you know?.  He won’t back down, especially if he thinks it’s gonna let people down. Those people with the supersoldier program? They used that and Steve Rogers all but disappeared. Think the only one of the whole group that actually gave a damn about Steve Rogers was Carter.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know about that,” Tony disagreed. “You didn’t hear Howard talk about him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Howard Stark didn’t know a damned thing about Steve Rogers, only what he let them turn him into,” Bucky said with a disgusted snarl. “His head was too far into feeding Steve’s adrenaline tank to see past that. Whatever crush your dad had on Steve, it wasn’t ‘cause he knew ‘im.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay, no talking about my dad’s crushes,” Tony grimaced. Especially when said crush was Steve.  Tony really didn’t want to have to contemplate his father having any sort of designs on the man that currently shared his bed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky grinned and shot Tony a playful wink at the grousing, earning a half-hearted shove and an eyeroll, but then sobered once again. “You don’t wanna hear it but Howard looked at Steve with the exact same damned look you get when talkin’ about your arc reactor tech. All abstract pride and a touch of possessive greed.  Howard was always looking at Steve like a show dog that performed exactly right. And you know… maybe when I went down, they built some form of friendship in the handful of months before Steve followed. At least Stevie would have thought so. But that wasn’t how Howard operated even back then. Howard never saw past his own role in what Steve molded himself to become.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony grimaced again and frowned, it wasn’t the first time he had been told that his expressions were similar to Howard’s but it was always especially weird when Steve or Bucky were the ones to point it out. He didn’t like putting too much thought into the fact that both of his partners knew his father when his father was younger than Tony was now.  Too mind trippy, even for Tony. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He eagerly pushed that particular thought process to the side and tilted his head in thought, fingertips tapping an idle beat against the arc reactor’s casing. “December 18th, huh? Got a couple weeks to throw something together.  Got any ideas?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Some,” Bucky hedged. “Some of it’s gonna be just you and me. But we’re gonna need to call in some help if we’re going to give him his first proper birthday in too many decades.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m listening,” Tony prompted.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Steve’s gotten pretty close with Natalia,” Bucky said consideringly. “She’ll probably be up to help with the actual party.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“J’ what’s Itsy Bitsy doing?” Tony asked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ms Romanov is currently in her private quarters,” JARVIS answered promptly. “Would you like me to see if she is available to join you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony shot Bucky a questioning glance and when he got a nod in answer he responded, “Yeah, if she’s available, that’d be great.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a brief moment of pause and then JARVIS spoke again, “She is on her way. I took the liberty to request that she avoid common access paths to minimize potential contact with Captain Rogers.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thanks, J’,” Tony grinned. “Thinking of a surprise party?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, that’ll work,” Bucky smirked. “We’re makin’ the cake though. Don’t let her order it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You really don’t want me baking,” Tony grimaced.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s Sarah’s recipe,” Bucky said seriously. “We’re makin’ the cake, Tony.  I’m not giving that away to anyone else.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh,” Tony said quietly, eyes widening in surprise.  Bucky wanted Tony to help make Steve’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>mom’s recipe?</span>
  </em>
  <span> Really? Well that was...Tony didn’t linger further on the feelings </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span> made ricochet through his mind. It wouldn’t do to get all awkwardly misty-eyed over a </span>
  <em>
    <span>cake.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sarah made a point to make it for him every year,” Bucky went on to add. “My Ma and sisters made it for him the two years after Sarah passed but that would have been the last time he’d have had it.  Steve wouldn’t have gone through the trouble to make it for himself even if he knew how. And I don’t know if Sarah ever taught it to him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She taught you her recipe and not him?” Tony asked, head tilted in confusion.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky winced but nodded, “That last December, pretty sure she knew she wasn’t gonna be there for his next birthday but wanted to make sure he still had his cake. Said that she wasn’t able to do much but she could at least make sure Stevie still had a proper birthday. She roped the girls into distracting Steve and taught me how to make it. You and I? We’re gonna make it up to Sarah for missing so many years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony cleared his throat, he was </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> going to go and cry over a </span>
  <em>
    <span>cake,</span>
  </em>
  <span> and nodded in understanding, “So the party.  What else do you got for me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They were interrupted then by the doors of the lab sliding open and familiar quiet footsteps approaching.  Tony quirked a smile up at Natasha as she drew nearer and she nodded but narrowed her eyes suspiciously, “Want to tell me why I’m avoiding Steve?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s just for now, not permanent,” Bucky explained. “No need to spoil the surprise and Stevie’s too damn curious and nosy for his own good.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Spoil what surprise?” Natasha asked pointedly, grabbing a chair of her own and folding into it, legs curled under her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Steve’s birthday party,” Bucky said with a casual shrug.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why are we planning a birthday party eight months in advance?” Natasha frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony had to laugh when Bucky made that low, frustrated growl of annoyance once again, “Because the little shit’s birthday isn’t in July.  It’s December and the punk never said a thing to anyone so we’ve gotta fix it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Natasha’s expression went blank for a moment, the way it tended to when information actually managed to catch her off-guard and she needed to reassimilate her understanding of things,  she stared intently at Bucky in silence all the while. The moment stretched uncomfortably but Bucky didn’t even try to break the stare. Finally she nodded slowly, “Okay. When is it and what’s the plan?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“December 18th,” Bucky said shortly. “We’ve got about a month but the man’s not had a proper birthday since he got big and I want to make sure it’s done right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We have some ideas,” Tony added. “But we want to have an actual party for him.  If we can swing a surprise party, all the better.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I can do that,” Natasha said with a nod of agreement. “What are the parameters?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing Cap-related,” Bucky insisted, the bitterness back in his tone.  Tony was suddenly recognizing just how much resentment the man had for how much Captain America had taken over Steve Rogers. “If you want to go all Captain America, save it for July.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That should be easy,” Natasha said, not bothering to question the emphasis. “Anything else?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t plan anything for the cake,” Tony interjected. “Everything else is fair game but don’t do anything for the cake.  We’ll take care of that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That, apparently, was enough to earn a curiously arched brow but she didn’t ask, just smirked and nodded her understanding again. “I’ll need to call in some help to get it up to standards in the time we have while keeping it secret from Steve,” she pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pep would probably be happy to help,” Tony pointed out, biting back a knowing grin at the very telling gleam of interest he caught in Natasha’s green eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sam too,” Natasha pointed out. “I think between the three of us, we should be able to get everything done.  I trust you two will be able to get him out of the building the day of?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Already got plans for that,” Bucky nodded.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We do?” Tony blinked.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, got an idea or two,” Bucky shrugged. “Things that we used to do that I’m sure he doesn’t think that I remember.  Figured we might revisit some of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony hesitated for a moment before asking, “I could hang back and help Nat with the party if you want to have your traditions…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You boys have fun,” Natasha interjected, uncurling from her chair and making a swift yet somehow still casual exit. “I need to find Pepper and Sam and make a few calls.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Bucky absently nodded to Natasha and frowned in confusion at Tony’s previous suggestion before his expression softened.  He reached out and snagged the edge of Tony’s chair so he could drag it closer until there were only inches between them. “Now listen here, doll, you’re gonna be right there with us where you belong,” he said quietly. “We both know Stevie’d want to share this with you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t want to share his actual birthday to begin with,” Tony pointed out.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s just ‘cause Steve’s a self-sacrificing idiot, that has nothing to do with you,” Bucky smirked. “He probably had it all in his head that it didn’t really matter anyway and some twisted logic that it would be selfish to correct 70 years of history by shining a light on it.” Tony huffed a quiet laugh and had to nod in agreement. “Which is why it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>our</span>
  </em>
  <span> job to remind our Punk that Steve Rogers matters.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What I got in mind, it shouldn’t take the whole day,” Bucky said thoughtfully. “You got any ideas? Something we can maybe start a new tradition with?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony considered the question for a moment, his mind rapidly scanning and discarding multiple ideas. “Actually…” he started and then paused, eyes narrowing in thought. “Actually, yeah, I got an idea or two but I’m going to have to do a bit of research first.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just one thing you gotta remember,” Bucky said, voice low in warning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s that?” Tony frowned.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s supposed to be a secret for the next three weeks,” Bucky smirked. “No spoiling it, Stark.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tony sputtered, scowling slightly when Bucky laughed. “Not a problem here.  I can keep a surprise party a surprise.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know you can,” Bucky agreed easily, leaning forward in his seat to catch Tony’s lips in a chaste but lingering kiss. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Something Borrowed</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Despite knowing Steve for years now and being in a relationship with Steve and Bucky for almost a year, he had learned more about Steve’s mom in the last month than he had at any time prior to that. For a woman who had raised Steve Rogers the best she could as a single mother in the Depression, Tony thought even ‘remarkable’ might be putting it lightly.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>As promised, here is the second chapter! </p>
<p>I hope that you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The next month went surprisingly well, without any hint that Steve had caught onto something amiss. The Friendsgiving went without a hitch, the whole team and the other various people closely associated had managed to get together for dinner, movies, and a lot of chatter without being interrupted by alerts or other untimely distractions.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As far as he could tell, the birthday planning was going smoothly as well.  Natasha and Pepper alternated to pop into the lab when he was alone to share updates.  They had all agreed to keep it small and intimate. Inviting only the people that Steve knew and cared for and avoiding those that saw the shield and the uniform and discarded the man beneath. That nixed much of Shield and various military and government people.  Tony was perfectly okay with that, the last thing he wanted was Steve’s first birthday party in ages getting turned into a dog and pony show.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Keeping the guest list small helped make the planning process simpler too, which he was sure Pepper, Natasha, and Sam appreciated. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>On the morning of the 17th, Tony made his excuses to escape down to his workshop and nodded discretely as he knew how to Natasha. Steve’s attention was quickly distracted by the redhead dragging him out of the tower under the guise of...well, who knew what.  All that mattered was that he was distracted.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As soon as they were gone, Tony and Bucky descended to the kitchen.  Bucky immediately pulled out the various ingredients they would need, setting them in order on the counter, while Tony stood awkwardly off to the side.  He really didn’t have the first clue about baking and he </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t want to be the one responsible for ruining Sarah Rogers’ birthday cake recipe the day before Steve’s birthday.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Bucky seemed to be working from memory, not bothering to write down the recipe and not having to look anything up.  All Tony really had to do was follow whatever instructions Bucky gave him. That was easy enough and likely for the best.  He couldn’t help but wrinkle his nose in distaste at the idea of </span>
  <em>
    <span>vinegar</span>
  </em>
  <span> being put into a cake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky caught the expression and snorted a laugh, “You don’t taste it once it’s all baked.  Just you wait.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you say so,” Tony said, he was sure that his disbelief was very obvious.  Bucky just grinned and stretched to the side for a kiss. Tony latched on immediately, one hand curving around the back of his neck to keep Bucky there for a moment longer.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky nipped at his lips in gentle rebuke and pulled back with a small smile, “Don’t go tryin’ to distract me now, Stark.  Got plenty of time for that after the cake’s done.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Can’t blame me for trying,” Tony quipped, leaning back against the counter with his arms crossed in front of him. “Doesn’t cake baking typically require eggs?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure,” Bucky shrugged. “But eggs were expensive and hard to come by for our families back then.  Hell, almost everything was. Our Ma’s got real good at finding workarounds for that stuff. Sarah was a pro at it.  Had to be considering all of Steve’s illnesses and allergies.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds like she was a remarkable woman,” Tony commented curiously.  Despite knowing Steve for years now and being in a relationship with Steve and Bucky for almost a year, he had learned more about Steve’s mom in the last month than he had at any time prior to that. For a woman who had raised Steve Rogers the best she could as a single mother in the Depression, Tony thought even ‘remarkable’ might be putting it lightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sarah?” Bucky clarified and then nodded in agreement without waiting for an answer. “Yeah, Sarah Rogers was as close to a saint as one could get, I think. Things were rough back then and my family had four kids in one little tenament.  I did my best to lighten the strain when I could, ended up at Steve and Sarah’s as often as I did home. It was hard on all of us when she got sick.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She didn’t mind?” Tony asked, fascinated by the story. “That you were there so often?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t think it ever crossed her thoughts to mind,” Bucky shrugged. “Sarah was the sort that just took things in stride.  Helped my Ma with the girls sometimes too. She would joke sometimes that four Barnes’ were still less of a handful than her one Steve.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Somehow I can believe that,” Tony grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky grinned faintly in memory, “The girls liked to try’n get Stevie riled up about it.  That Sarah liked them better. He’d always just grin and act all insulted about it. He was just as indulgent of those girls as his Ma was.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He paused for a moment and focused on his task of mixing ingredients together and then glanced back to Tony, “There was one day, Sarah chased Stevie and me outside, it was a decent enough day that there wasn’t much risk of Steve catching ill.  She warned us that she and the girls were gonna be busy so we’d best keep ourselves entertained elsewhere.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We knew better, by then, than try’n push our luck,” Bucky smiled. “The one time we tried, Sarah made a point to have conversations with the girls that no teenage boy wanted to be hearin’ about his sisters, or his Ma for that matter.”  Bucky laughed quietly. “After that, when Sarah said she was busy with the girls, we made ourselves scarce.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That one particular time, though,” Bucky said, backtracking to the original point. “When Stevie and I were allowed back, she and the girls…” he paused and cleared his throat. “She and the girls had spent the day putting together a little birthday thing for me.  Not the same cake she made for Stevie but she said that was because I deserved something of my own. Turns out Stevie had already known why we were chased out but played along.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky fell silent long enough to put the baking pans into the oven and set the timer, Tony had to admire the seamless way that he managed to put the cake together despite, by his own admission, not making it in ages.  He moved from the oven to collecting and cleaning up the mess made with absent movements, his eyes were still distant, presumably lost in memories still.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You know,” he said thoughtfully. “I always thought Sarah must’ve known.  About Stevie and me. I mean, kids are never quite as sneaky as they think they are and Sarah was a smart woman. She about had to have known but she never so much as hinted at disapproval.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s pretty surprising, considering,” Tony said, blinking slightly in surprise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky nodded, “My own Ma wasn’t Steve’s biggest fan and I’m pretty sure, in hindsight, that’s exactly why. Sarah, though, she just always told us to be careful and pay attention whenever we would head out for whatever we would be gettin’ into.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why do you think that was?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Steve...before he got all big and healthy,” Bucky winced and sighed. “Steve was never gonna make it to old age.  Marriage and a family wasn’t something he was ever gonna live long enough to get to have. His body was gonna give out before he could.  It was a miracle that he made it long enough to step into your old man’s contraption. Sarah was practical enough to know that. I imagine that she was just happy enough that Steve would know he was loved whenever that time happened to come.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“She was right on that part, at least,” Tony pointed out. “Pretty sure he knew even before you fell and then came back.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky nodded and suddenly went back into action, digging through the cabinets and pantry and pulling out a handful of items including, much to Tony’s confusion, a handful of potatoes.  Sugar, wow that was a lot of sugar, potatoes and </span>
  <em>
    <span>peanut butter.</span>
  </em>
  <span>  Tony was positive that nothing good could come from that sort of combination.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Tony asked cautiously, watching as Bucky filled a pot with water and quickly diced the potatoes and dropped them into the water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Bucky’s brow furrowed as he set the burner to heat the water and potatoes. “Talkin’ about Sarah and the girls reminded me of another thing Sarah always had on hand that we all liked.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Something that requires both peanut butter and potatoes?” Tony asked, feeling mildly horrified at the concept.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t knock it till you try it, Stark,” Bucky grinned. “Just you wait.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll try it,” Tony said wearily. “But only because you’ve spent the last hour talking up Sarah Rogers and it’d be rude not to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky laughed, “Oh she’d have loved you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You think so?” Tony asked hesitantly.  He liked to hope that he’d have gotten along well with Steve’s mother if she was still around but hearing it from Bucky like that...it was different somehow.  Confirmation that he hadn’t realized he wanted or needed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky’s expression softened and he crossed the kitchen to stand in front of Tony, his arms coming around Tony’s waist. “I know so,” Bucky said quietly. “If for no other reason, she’d have loved you for loving Stevie and me. But she would have loved </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> because you’re a good man and you’ve got a hell of a way with words.  She’d have laughed herself silly listening to your sarcastic rambling. And then she’d have forced you down at her table with the rest of us and embarrassed the daylights out of Stevie and that would have been that.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Am I allowed to distract you yet?” Tony asked and Bucky grinned ducking his head for a kiss and crowding Tony more firmly against the edge of the counter. Tony hummed happily into the affection and opened eagerly under Bucky’s gentle prodding. They stayed like that, fully distracted and enveloped by one another until the timer beeped obnoxiously.  Tony groaned when Bucky broke the kiss with a shaky breath before stealing one more chaste kiss. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He smiled warmly and pulled away entirely, snatching a toothpick from the counter and opening the oven to check on the cakes. Bucky reached up to turn off the oven and used his metal hand to shift the pans from the oven to the cooling rack that he had set up on the far end of the counter.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Nudging the oven door closed, he checked the potatoes.  Apparently satisfied, he pulled them off of the heat and drained the water.  Tony watched curiously as he mashed the potatoes and then added vanilla. And then more powdered sugar than anything should need, as far as Tony was concerned. Bucky left the mixture and covered the counter with a large sheet of parchment paper.  The potato-dough-stuff was dumped onto the left side of the paper, separated into four batches, and Bucky folded the right side over top. Tony watched in fascination as Bucky rolled the potato-dough into thin sheets.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Grab the peanut butter, Doll?” Bucky asked idly as he carefully pulled the paper back from the top of the dough.  Tony snatched the large jar from the opposite counter and opened it, tearing off the seal as he went. “That rubber spatula there? Take that and come here.”  Bucky shifted until he had Tony pinned between the counter and himself, his chin hooked on Tony’s shoulder and arms coming around his waist. “You’re gonna scoop out the peanut butter with the spatula,” Bucky instructed in a low voice. “Then you’re gonna spread it over the top of all these.  Edge to edge and try to keep it a smooth layer.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony furrowed his brow in concentration as he carefully followed the instructions given. It was a little more difficult than he had anticipated when the peanut butter kept wanting to cling to the spatula.  But eventually he got all of the dough covered in an even layer. Bucky plucked the spatula from his grip and set it to the side. He took Tony’s hands in his own and guided his movements, deftly using Tony’s hands to roll each batch of buttered dough into individual rolls.  They wrapped each one in a sheet of parchment paper and set them on a tray, movements surprisingly smooth considering that Bucky was still pressed along Tony’s back.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky pressed a kiss to the crook of Tony’s neck and took a step back, lifting and handing the pan of rolled peanut butter-potato dough-things to Tony, “Those need to go into the refrigerator.”  Tony carefully put them away as Bucky set about cleaning up their mess. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony tilted his head in and frowned in thought, “Why doesn’t Steve talk about her more?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sarah?” Bucky asked, brows arched in question.  When Tony nodded, Bucky’s expression twisted unpleasantly and he shrugged. “I imagine for the same reasons he never mentioned his birthday.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He can’t have thought his mother didn’t matter,” Tony protested.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well, no, he loved Sarah and losing her devastated him,” Bucky agreed. “But that doesn’t mean he didn’t assume that she only really mattered to him anymore.  And maybe he wasn’t too far off the mark. Sarah Rogers has been gone for double the number of years she lived and Steve Rogers was all but washed away by the serum and Captain America. But Sarah was Steve Rogers’ mother and the world don’t care too much about the man behind the shield. And he doesn’t seem to know how much I remember.  So by his logic he’s the only one that still knows and remembers her. Steve’s never been the sort to put his hurts on anyone else if he can help it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony nodded slowly and shrugged, “I...I like hearing about her.  About you guys’ lives before all this. It’s obviously not something I could’ve ever known first-hand.  Your family, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We will,” Bucky promised. “I think tomorrow will go a long way in making Stevie more comfortable talking about it all.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>By the time Natasha was due to be back with Steve, everything was finished and hidden away.  Bucky had completed the cake, made the frosting and given the cake a thorough coating. It wasn’t the most elegant cake decorating that Tony had ever seen but it was leaps and bounds better than Tony probably could have managed so he didn’t say a word.  He had smirked at Tony when he cut a couple thin slices off of one of the peanut butter and potato dough logs and passed one over.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony had been hesitant but he </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> promised that he would try it. He had taken a hesitant bite and his eyes widened in surprise.  Okay, so, he’d been wrong before and he had no problems admitting that he was wrong about this odd candy-thing too.  Bucky had laughed smugly around his own piece at whatever Tony’s expression had done. Tony had silenced the laughter with peanut butter flavored kisses.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony was settled on one of the couches on the communal floor, concentration locked onto the tablet propped against his thighs when a familiar blonde head popped into his line of vision. He looked up to find Steve leaning over the arm of the couch and stretched to meet him halfway, accepting the soft kiss in greeting. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well hello, Gorgeous, have fun?” he asked, pulling himself to sit upright long enough for Steve to drop onto the cushion and settling his head comfortably against Steve’s thigh. Steve’s hand almost automatically rose to brush through Tony’s hair and he nodded in response.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, it was fun,” Steve answered. “Not sure why Nat suddenly decided that I </span>
  <em>
    <span>had</span>
  </em>
  <span> to have more clothes or why she invited Ms Potts along for it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“When are you actually going to call her Pepper?” Tony asked with a small snort of laughter.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve shrugged, “I suppose when she invites me to.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony couldn’t help but roll his eyes fondly, “She has.  I’ve heard her.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, you’ve told me to call her Pepper in front of her and she didn’t argue,” Steve countered. “That’s not the same thing and you know it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If you say so,” Tony chuckled and dropped his tablet onto the coffee table, content for the moment to give Steve his full attention. “The shopping spree went well, though?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If by well you mean they managed to not embarrass me more than what’s normal these days, then yes, it went well,” Steve smirked.  “What did you get up to?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Eh,” Tony shrugged and waved his hands vaguely. “Just got some research and theories jotted out.  Things to look into down the road but not really pressing at the moment. I was thinking though…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh oh,” Steve muttered and laughed when Tony jabbed him in the ribs, eyes narrowed.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>thinking,”</span>
  </em>
  <span> Tony repeated mock-sternly. “That it’s been a couple weeks since the three of us spent a day out together.  I mean just us enjoying a day together outside of the tower.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve nodded thoughtfully, “Yeah not since, what, October?  We went out the week before Halloween.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We should do that,” Tony said decisively, laying down the necessary groundwork to get Steve out of the tower the next day without making him suspicious.  “I was thinking that we could do that tomorrow, if you’re not busy. I already mentioned it to Bucky and he seemed on board.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Count me in,” Steve said fondly, his expression surprisingly soft.  Tony wondered what was causing that particular look but chose not to press it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good,” Tony smiled and sat up again, shifting bodily until he could lean forward to catch another slow kiss.  Steve made a quiet, appreciative sound and gently tugged until Tony was settled into his lap, Steve’s hands stroking lightly over his sides.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You taste like peanut butter,” Steve murmured against his lips with a smile, teasingly licking the taste from Tony’s mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“See I can feed myself when you’re gone,” Tony quipped and Steve laughed lowly before tugging him closer. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve eventually broke the kiss again, trailing gentle presses of his lips over Tony’s cheeks and jaw before curling his arms around him and relaxing into the couch. “You’re amazing, you know that?” Steve said quietly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You too, Sunshine,” Tony answered, resting his head against Steve’s chest and just letting himself enjoy being held.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Bucky joined them, he lowered himself right next to Steve, tugging Tony’s feet into his lap.  Steve had tilted to the side until Bucky leaned in too for a sweet kiss in greeting. It was a gentle, tender show of affection but they didn’t let it linger, it was enough as a greeting for now. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The rest of the team gathered shortly after.  The usual massive pizza order was placed and they debated their movie options for the night. While Steve was arguing with Barton over types of animation -- an argument they had all heard time and time again by that point, though after Bucky’s explanation of Steve’s interactions with his sisters, Tony had to wonder who exactly was indulging who with the debate -- Natasha caught Tony’s eye and arched a brow in silent question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony nodded shortly with a small smile. Yes, he and Bucky had their part handled. He tilted his head, returning the question and she shot him a decidedly unimpressed glare.  Tony bit back a laugh and winked. Between Natasha and Pepper he knew without a doubt the party was planned to perfection. He wasn’t sure of Sam’s party planning capabilities but if Natasha had recruited him to help, he had to have something going for him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And it would mean a lot to Steve to have had Sam involved, so there was that.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>If you're interested, here is the recipe that Bucky was using for Sarah's <a href="https://premeditatedleftovers.com/recipes-cooking-tips/vanilla-depression-cake/">birthday cake</a> and the <a href="http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe171.potato-candy.html">peanut butter candies</a>.  </p>
<p>Come say hello on <a href="https://alwaysabrighterdarkness.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Something Old</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Bucky took a couple careful steps forward and kissed Steve sweetly, one hand coming up and the thumb sweeping gently over Steve’s cheek. When he pulled back, he smiled softly and spoke in a voice only loud enough for the three of them, “Happy Birthday, sweetheart.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Here is chapter 3!</p>
<p>This chapter contains the only smut in the entire fic and is where the E rating comes from.  The rest is lovely fluff like the previous chapters have been. If you want to skip it and stick to the fluffiness, just pop down a couple of paragraphs until Tony say's "Good morning, Beautiful." :)</p>
<p>Anyway, here it is and I hope that you enjoy!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Tony awoke the morning of the 18th to the feeling of eyes on him.  He blinked his own eyes open and smiled sleepily when he met the soft grey over the curve of Steve’s shoulder.  Bucky smirked and glanced up and over at Steve’s still peaceably sleeping face and then back to meet Tony’s eyes with an arched brow.  Tony grinned and gave a short nod in understanding. It wasn’t often that they were both awake before Steve and therefore able to give him a </span>
  <em>
    <span>proper</span>
  </em>
  <span> wake up.  That it just so happened to be the guy’s birthday too? Not an opportunity Tony was interested in passing up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He carefully stretched and shifted until he was able to pepper soft kisses over Steve’s face.  Steve’s body tensed sleepily beside him and he ducked his head to catch Tony’s lips in a slow, sweet kiss, one hand coming up to cup Tony’s jaw and keep him near.  Tony let himself sink into the lazy affection. He didn’t think it was something he would ever get tired of experiencing. Steve groaned quietly into the kiss, his fingers tightening just slightly against the back of Tony’s neck as his tongue curled against Tony’s.  Tony’s hand wandered freely over Steve’s shoulders and chest, occasionally brushing firmly over Bucky’s hand where he was holding onto Steve’s side from behind.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve broke away with a gasp, eyes heavy-lidded and fighting to stay open, lips swollen.  A low, panted groan worked out of Steve as he shuddered and Tony pressed forward into another kiss. Tony’s hand dragged down Steve’s abdomen until he could curl his fingers around Steve’s cock, stroking in slow but firm sweeps of his palm. Steve groaned into the kiss, his hips rolling forward into Tony’s grip and then back onto what Tony knew would be Bucky’s carefully stretching fingers.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Even without being able to see, Tony could tell the exact moment that Bucky exchanged his fingers for his cock and sank into Steve’s body with a slow, easy thrust.  Steve’s breath hitched and he broke from the kiss, his head falling back against Bucky’s shoulder with a low, stuttering moan and Bucky swore under his breath, the actual words muffled by his lips pressed against the side of Steve’s neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony didn’t bother trying to stifle his own groan at the visual. Tony propped up on his elbow and shifted forward catching Bucky’s lips in a heated combination of lips and teeth and tongue over Steve’s shoulder, his hand tightening and quickening over Steve’s cock.  Steve’s hand dropped from Tony’s face to his ass, pulling and adjusting until they were pressed together and then Steve’s hand slid forward to join Tony’s, wrapping around both of them and urging Tony’s hand to move in time with Bucky’s steadily increasing pace. Tony groaned at the contact, pulling away from Bucky’s lips breathlessly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They moved together in a well-practiced rhythm and it wasn’t long before all three of them were edging towards completion.  A sharp nip from Bucky’s teeth against the sensitive curve of his neck and shoulder sent Steve over first, body tensing and a high, whimpered moan that never failed to hit Tony just right, no matter how many times he heard it.  Tony wasn’t sure whether he or Bucky came next or if they happened to fall at the same time. He was too occupied with Steve’s lips on his, stifling his own breathless moans as he came between them.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was several long, perfect minutes of tangled limbs, sweet lingering kisses and stroking hands before their breathing settled.  “Good morning, beautiful,” Tony murmured against Steve’s lips when he was able to think somewhat clearly once again.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Morning, sweetheart,” Steve smiled and sank back against his pillow and leaned into Bucky’s chest comfortably.  Bucky trailed soft kisses over his shoulder, his hand reaching to lace with Tony’s over Steve’s hip. “We still headin’ out today?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s the plan,” Bucky confirmed against Steve’s skin. “Still good with you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Steve said, smile widening affectionately. “Yeah, I’m lookin’ forward to it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Suppose that means we ought to get up, then,” Tony grumbled half-heartedly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m in no rush,” Steve shrugged. “Think I’d be just as happy spending the day like this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope,” Bucky disagreed. “We’re going out. Tomorrow can be a lazy bed day.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Spoil sport,” Steve teased, laughing when Bucky nipped at his shoulder in response. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come on,” Bucky urged. “Let’s get cleaned up and ready to go.” He met Tony’s eyes with a small grin. “Don’t worry, Doll, plenty of time for your coffee.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good to know,” Tony smirked. “Otherwise you’d have a hell of a time getting me out of this bed.”  After several more moments with none of them moving as much as an inch toward the edge of the bed, Tony chuckled and rolled away to finally climb out of the bed. As much as he wanted to stay, he wanted this day to go off perfectly even more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky and Steve grumbled but untangled themselves, climbing out after.  A quick shower--though quick was relative when Tony was lucky enough to share a shower with the two of them--and a couple of cups of coffee each, they were loading into one of Tony’s cars and heading out into the city with Bucky behind the wheel for the first leg of the day. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay, first stop for the day,” Bucky announced as he put the car into park. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s this place?” Steve asked curiously, climbing out of the car and zipping his jacket closed around him.  Of course, Tony was fully bundled in a heavy peacoat, scarf, gloves and hat while Bucky and Steve were mostly comfortable in leather jackets and stocking caps. They did humor him though, and looped scarves haphazardly around their necks to tuck them out of the way into their jackets. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Let’s go see,” Tony answered, catching Steve’s hand in his own and lacing their fingers together as he tugged.  Bucky rested his hand on Steve’s back and urged him forward, taking up the rear. Music and happy laughter was audible before they even rounded the corner but Tony stole a glance over his shoulder when their destination finally came into view.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The ice rink was temporary, they would tear it down and put it back up as the snow came and went.  But there was plenty of snow and the rink itself was just busy enough with skaters yet not so busy that the trip would be pointless.  Bucky clapped a stunned-still Steve on the shoulder as he made his way to the booth where they would be able to rent skates for the day.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re going skating?” Steve asked, tone curious and yet faint.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, thought it sounded like fun,” Tony shrugged. “It’s been years since I’ve been but I remember it being fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve cleared his throat and nodded slowly, “Yeah. Yeah, me too. I didn’t know they still did this kind of thing.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony rose to press a gentle kiss to his lips and smiled into it when Steve’s hand tightened around his own. “C’mon Sunshine, let’s go have some fun.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky came back around with three sets of skates in hand and passed two of them to Tony and Steve. Steve stared at the skates for a long moment before looking up to study Bucky in a way that Tony only belatedly recognized as an intensely pained longing.  Because he and Bucky went skating every year for his birthday as kids and now they ‘just so happened’ to be going skating on his birthday that Bucky supposedly didn’t remember. That look alone twisted achingly enough to drive Tony to blurt out the truth, ruined surprise party or not.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony glanced at Bucky to see if he had caught the expression as well.  Bucky’s softened expression told him that Bucky saw plenty. Bucky met his gaze and lifted his chin slightly in a defiant challenge.  It seemed they were on the same page then, Tony exhaled slowly in relief. This day wouldn’t be anywhere near successful if they were hurting Steve the entire time.  That was never an acceptable cost to keeping a secret, even with the best of intentions. Besides, just because Bucky and Tony knew his actual birthday didn’t mean that everyone else did too, so maybe the party was still a surprise.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky took a couple careful steps forward and kissed Steve sweetly, one hand coming up and the thumb sweeping gently over Steve’s cheek. When he pulled back, he smiled softly and spoke in a voice only loud enough for the three of them, “Happy Birthday, sweetheart.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve’s whole large body shuddered once and then froze, eyes wide, shiny and disbelieving. Tony moved in closer, nudging until he could tuck himself into Steve’s side. He leaned until he could press a lingering kiss to the man’s jaw and murmured a soft, “Happy Birthday, Beautiful,” in his ear.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve swallowed thickly and then he was smiling while blinking rapidly.  He reached with his free arm and tugged Bucky into a hug just as he tightened the arm already around Tony. “I didn’t think you remembered,” Steve admitted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I figured that out when Tony didn’t know,” Bucky said, chiding gently. “But that don’t matter ‘cause we know now and we’re gonna treat you right today and you’re going to let us.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve laughed roughly but nodded in immediate agreement. “We’re really goin’ skating?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No I just borrowed these skates for us to stand around and look at them,” Bucky retorted sarcastically.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Jerk,” Steve grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Punk,” Bucky bit back affectionately. “C’mon, sweetheart, bet you I’m still the better skater.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh whatever, Barnes,” Steve scoffed. “Your grace was in words, not anything that required balance.  I was always the better skater.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, but we’re talkin’ about now,” Bucky grinned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m going to go ahead and bow out of this challenge,” Tony interjected in amusement. “I don’t need to lose a bet to know that skating has never been my forte.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The two men planted brief but affectionate kisses on either side of Tony’s head and scrambled to put on their skates while swiping and shoving at one another to prevent the other from getting their skates laced properly. Tony couldn’t help the bubble of amusement, suddenly able to see so very clearly the boys they must have once been.  Playful, competitive eagerness that hadn’t seemed to diminish with time or the horrors they’d both lived through. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony sidestepped the playful bickering with a fond smile and carefully laced his own skates.  It had been at least ten years since he attempted to ice skate. He eyed the frozen surface warily but took a careful step forward, mindful to keep to the edge of the rink until he was more comfortable. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>After another twenty minutes, Tony was marginally more certain that he wasn’t about to meet the ice with either his face or his ass and pushed away from the edge.  He wobbled slightly and his hand was caught in a firm, warm grip. He looked up slowly as not to throw off his shaky balance to find Steve’s brightly grinning face.  God, happy was such a beautiful look on him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Having fun, Sunshine?” Tony asked affectionately.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Steve said, his smile softening. “Yeah, I am.  How about you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s definitely exactly as difficult as I remember it being,” Tony sighed. “And this time I don’t have the benefit of being drunk.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We can get some hot chocolate,” Steve suggested, nodding toward the small booth beside the one that rented the skates. “It won’t get you drunk but it’ll help warm you up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah,” Tony shook his head. “I mean, I’ll probably want some later but I think I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>finally</span>
  </em>
  <span> getting the hang of this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve smiled brightly again and nodded in understanding, “It’s been...well...what, ten or so years for me? More than seventy real time, I guess. Kinda forgot how much I missed it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re a natural,” Tony complimented, grinning when Steve flushed slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We used to go whenever we could, when I was healthy enough,” Steve said, voice slightly distant. “Sometimes the girls, Bucky’s sisters, would come with us but usually it was just the two of us. Mostly it wasn’t nice places like this though. Ma’d always have something warm waiting for us back home.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, Bucky was telling me a bit about your mom,” Tony said with a fond smile of his own. “Sounds like she was a remarkable woman.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To Tony’s surprise Steve sighed and looked around until he caught sight of Bucky just a few feet in front of them. “Bucky,” Steve called in an exasperated tone, belied by the way that he was obviously biting back a grin. “Were you bragging about your crush on my Ma again?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky squawked and flailed awkwardly with absolutely none of the residual grace from his decades of training before landing in a sprawl on the ice. “Goddamn it, Rogers,” Bucky growled as he pushed himself back to his feet as Tony clung with both hands to Steve’s arm to keep from falling too, as hard as he was laughing. “I did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> have a damn crush on your mother.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t know, Buck,” Steve drawled with a knowing smirk. “The way you go on about her some days is enough to give a fella the wrong idea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Fucking Punk,” Bucky grumbled as he slowly approached. “Oh stop laughing, Tony, it’s not that funny.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh but it really is,” Tony laughed, withdrawing one hand from Steve’s steadying arm to wipe his eyes. He was gratified to see the hint of pink over Bucky’s face.  Out of the three of them Steve was the most prone to blushing and Bucky was easily the least prone to it. That the teasing conversation managed to draw even a faint one was intensely satisfying.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve glanced at Tony, smirk still firmly planted on his lips and blue eyes bright with amusement, “Whatever he was tellin’ you couldn’t have been near as bad as hearing your fella go on and on about your own ma.  I swear I wanted to deck him half the time and kiss him senseless the rest of it just to get him to stop.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh fuck off,” Bucky scowled shoving roughly at Steve’s shoulder only to catch Tony by the opposite elbow when shoving Steve dislodged Tony and nearly sent him to the ice.  “See if I share your Ma’s candy with you now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s just cruel, Buck,” Steve pouted. “You can’t tell me you found some and not share it!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I didn’t,” Bucky said with a smug smirk. “Sarah gave me ‘n the girls the recipe.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What? When?” Steve frowned. “What is it with Barnes’ and getting ahold of Ma’s recipes and not </span>
  <em>
    <span>sharing?”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You gonna be nice to me, Sweetheart?” Bucky asked, eyebrows high in challenge and smirk twisting into a grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I'm always nice to you, Jerk,” Steve retorted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I dunno, that didn’t sound very nice to me,” Bucky said consideringly. “What do you think, Tony? Did that sound like Stevie was being sweet to you?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nope,” Tony grinned. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Traitor,” Steve shot with a playful glare. “And here I thought </span>
  <em>
    <span>you </span>
  </em>
  <span>were supposed to be nice to </span>
  <em>
    <span>me</span>
  </em>
  <span> on my birthday.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But you never </span>
  <em>
    <span>told</span>
  </em>
  <span> me it was your birthday, did you?” Tony quipped teasingly.  Steve ducked his head and gaze guilitly and Tony winced. “Hey, it’s good. I mean, I’d have </span>
  <em>
    <span>liked</span>
  </em>
  <span> to know sooner but I’m pretty sure I understand why you didn’t.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just didn’t see the point in making a big deal about it,” Steve shrugged, playfulness long gone from his tone and expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We know, Stevie,” Bucky answered gently. “We have a pretty good handle on the way you think.  We’re not mad. If we were, we wouldn’t be here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Speaking of,” Tony interjected. “Pretty sure my...everything is numb.  That hot chocolate you mentioned sounds like a good idea now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve smiled slightly and carefully guided Tony over to one of the benches and dropped down beside him with Bucky on his opposite side.  Their skates were quickly traded out for their boots and Bucky ducked away to grab three styrofoam cups filled almost to the top. They resettled on the bench and enjoyed their drinks in comfortable silence.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you both,” Steve said quietly after a few moments. “I-I’m sorry I didn’t say anything sooner but I really, really enjoyed this.  It’s a great birthday. Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Tony said, blinking in surprise. “You think we’re done.”  He leaned forward to look at Bucky, eyes wide. “He thinks we're done.  That’s adorable, really. His first birthday in...</span>
  <em>
    <span>how long?</span>
  </em>
  <span> And he thinks we’re going to be happy with just skating.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I told you,” Bucky shrugged, smirk hidden behind his cup. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re not?” Steve frowned. “You don’t have to go through the trouble, Tony.  This is...this is more than enough.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I swear, Sunshine, some days it’s like you don’t know me at all,” Tony said with a mock pout. “How many times do I have to tell you--</span>
  <em>
    <span>both</span>
  </em>
  <span> of you for that matter--that there’s no such thing as ‘good enough’ when it comes to doing things for you two?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve’s argument--because it was always going to be an argument when it came to anyone wanting to spoil him a little bit--was waylaid by Bucky’s hand coming up in front of his face, three of the little peanut butter potato things lying in his palm.  Steve’s expression lit up, grin and eyes wide in excitement as he carefully plucked them up, immediately sticking the first one in his mouth. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“These are perfect,” Steve groaned after he finished the first one. Tony felt a fission of pride sweep through him.  He had helped to make that little treat that Steve was so obviously pleased with. Before he could help himself, Tony leaned forward and kissed Steve, tongue sweeping teasingly against Steve’s and swallowing down Steve’s low groan at the unexpected affection.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony leaned back with a grin, licking his lips to catch lingering tastes of the peanut butter and Steve.  He tilted his head slightly, nose brushing against Steve’s as he spoke slyly, “You taste like peanut butter.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve stilled for a brief moment as his own words from the day before were repeated back at him.  He swallowed thickly and eyed the families and children around them, ears and cheeks going red. He cleared his throat, “maybe...maybe we can finish that at home?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No can do, beautiful,” Tony grinned. “We’re not done with our day out yet.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Think we could stop somewhere for lunch?” Bucky suggested, meeting Tony’s eye and arching a brow in question.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right.  Tony had made the plans for the afternoon.  He glanced at his watch and then nodded in agreement, “Yeah, lunch sounds pretty good.  Somewhere inside and warm, preferably.” He stood from the bench, tossing his cup into the trashcan and led the way back to the car.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Unsurprisingly, considering who he was with, they ended up at a dingy little diner with excellent food a couple of blocks from the rink for lunch. Tony watched with his usual amusement as the two men put away their weight in food in the same amount of time it took Tony to polish off a much more modest plate full of food. When he finished off the last of his coffee, Tony paid and quickly ushered them back to the car, nerves and excitement warring in his mind at his own contribution for the day.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Come say hello on <a href="https://alwaysabrighterdarkness.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Something New</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>When Steve quickly stood to leave the table, Bucky caught his wrist and Steve smiled warmly and ducked for a brief, soft kiss before taking off for the displays.  Bucky watched him for a few moments.  Turning back to Tony, his smile softened, “You did good, Tony. He’s gonna love this.”</p>
<p>“Think so?” Tony asked, aiming for unaffected but knowing that he missed the mark by a long shot.</p>
<p>“I know so,” Bucky reassured. “This is gonna be something he looks forward to.  Especially the three of us coming here, doing this together? Yeah, he’s over the moon right now.”</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>So this chapter has no associated bingo squares but that's okay because I had a lot of fun with this one also.  This is Tony's contribution to Steve's birthday traditions though so I hope that you enjoy it! I'm attempting to create art in association with this chapter but It's not quite there yet so it's going to have to be something that I backtrack and add at a later date.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>The little store front was simple but colorful and fairly unassuming for the most part.  Nerves were winning out when he pulled the door open and motioned for Steve and Bucky to precede him. Inside, shelves covered very nearly every available wall of the store, filled with everything from small plates and serving platters to dinosaurs and teddy bears.  All ceramic and all clearly blank and unfinished. The back wall, nearest the register, the shelves were filled with several dozen bottles of paint of what Tony was sure had to be every conceivable color and shade thereof. He held his breath as he watched Steve look around with curious excitement.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mister Stark?” the young woman who had been behind the counter when they had initially entered said brightly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s me,” Tony said with his ‘public’ grin firmly in place.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wonderful,” she smiled pleasantly. “I’m Alicia and I’ll be helping you gentlemen out today. The table you reserved is this way, if you’ll follow me, I’ll get you set up,” she nodded toward an archway that led to a smaller room off to the side of the main storefront. She led the way, maneuvering through the scattered tables and chairs without missing a stride.  When they were in the room, Tony could see a round table covered with thick brown paper to protect its surface and several small, empty pallets stacked on the nearest end. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“There are larger pieces out in the main store,” she continued. “Your reservation gives you free reign to pick and choose which ones you want to paint, as many or as few as you want over the next three hours.  Paints are on the back wall near the service counter, while you’re painting, though, don’t worry if they don’t come out as dark or as bold as you expected, the colors will set once we bake and seal them. When you’re done with your piece, you can set it off to the side there,” she pointed to a small nook off to the corner. “When you’re done for the day, I’ll gather them up and we’ll take them back to the kiln. Do you have any questions for me before you get started?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where do we get the brushes?” Steve asked curiously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Most of the brushes are kept near the shelves with the paints,” Alicia explained. “We also have extras in the back if you can’t find what you’re looking for by the paint.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve glanced at Tony and then Bucky questioningly, when neither spoke up Steve offered a small grin and shrugged, “I think that’s it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Perfect,” Alicia nodded. “Have fun painting, gentlemen.” Before she left she tilted her head to look at Steve head on once more, “And, Captain Rogers?” Steve blinked in surprise and she smiled again. “Happy birthday.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve’s eyes widened in surpise as he blushed and ducked his head slightly, “Just Steve, please. And thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>With that they were left to their own devices and Steve immediately gravitated toward the many shelves, slowly considering each piece while Bucky settled himself at the table and just watched Steve’s obvious fascination with fond amusement. Content to let Steve browse for his perfect piece, Tony moved to the opposite end and began his own search.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony was back at the table relatively quickly, a ceramic robot and a small, flat ceramic disk settled carefully in his spot at the table. It only took a total of ten minutes for him to choose his pieces and his paints and be back in his chair. It was another twenty before Steve rejoined them.  An armful of paint bottles and brushes and a fairly large, flat rectangular slab of ceramic and a small puppy shaped piece. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony couldn’t help but grin at the excited flush on his face and he leaned over to press an affectionate kiss to his cheek.  Steve smiled with a slightly shy grin only for it to fall slightly when he glanced over to the empty space in front of Bucky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not gonna paint, Buck?” he asked, head tilted in confusion.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m perfectly content watchin’ you enjoy yourself, sweetheart,” Bucky said easily, expression soft and fond. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh,” Steve said, eyeing him for a moment longer before dropping his gaze and picking at his paints. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony huffed and rolled his eyes, “Oh go pick out a couple pieces, it’s supposed to be fun not a contest.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Why can’t I enjoy watchin’ you two enjoy yourselves?” Bucky asked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Because you’ve got to have something to add to the collection,” Tony answered, snagging a light blue paint, the circular piece, and one of the small palates. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What collection?” Steve asked curiously, looking up from where he had been carefully filling each of the small bowls of the palate with a different color paint. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Our collection,” Tony said with a smirk. “We’re going to have shelves of these things. Give it a few years and we’ll have enough to need a whole room to have them on display.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve’s expression softened and smiled warmly, “I love you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Love you too, Beautiful,” Tony winked and then looked back at Bucky. “So go find something to paint.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Bucky still looked somewhat reluctant, Steve frowned slightly, “Please Buck? I’ll go find something for you, if you want? I need to go ask Alicia for a pencil anyway.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A pencil?” Tony frowned in confusion. “We’re supposed to be painting?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well yeah,” Steve shrugged. “I don’t really want to free hand it though. I need to get at least an outline to work from.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re the artist,” Tony said with a shrug and Steve rolled his eyes fondly before turning back to Bucky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure, Stevie, go pick something out for me to paint,” Bucky said with a small smile. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Steve quickly stood to leave the table, Bucky caught his wrist and Steve smiled warmly and ducked for a brief, soft kiss before taking off for the displays.  Bucky watched him for a few moments. Turning back to Tony, his smile softened, “You did good, Tony. He’s gonna love this.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Think so?” Tony asked, aiming for unaffected but knowing that he missed the mark by a long shot.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know so,” Bucky reassured. “This is gonna be something he looks forward to.  Especially the three of us coming here, doing this together? Yeah, he’s over the moon right now.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tension that Tony hadn’t even realized he had been carrying drained from his shoulders at the confirmation and he tried to bite back a grin as Steve dropped back into his chair.  He passed a large coffee mug--by large, it looked right at home in Steve’s large hand but would have looked ridiculous if Tony were to try--over to Bucky with a grin. Bucky eyed the mug speculatively and then glanced between Steve and Tony before smirking and settling back into his chair, snatching up a palate and one of the thin brushes that Steve had brought to the table.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They fell into a peaceful silence, each working on their own piece and attempting to sneak peeks at one another’s work while fending off snooping at the same time. It was more fun than Tony had expected to have.  He had thought it would be enjoyable and had hoped that Steve would enjoy it but he truly didn’t expect to enjoy it quite as much as he was. It was easy to sink into the warm, fuzzy affection of just being in the same space with Steve and Bucky.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The painting was fun too.  Tony knew that he wasn’t anywhere near the artistic talent that Steve seemed to be, his talents lay in engineering but he was suitably impressed with his work by the time he stood from the table to settle his piece onto the counter where Alicia had originally indicated. It sent another rush of nervous excitement through him.  Somewhere, among the over-obvious attempts at sneaking peeks and the playful shoves when they inevitably got caught, they had decided not to show their works until they were finished.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve, of course, had to take that a step further by pointing out that they wouldn’t actually be finished until they got them back from the kiln. Afterall, the paints they were using looked like pastels but would be sharp and bold once the pieces had been sealed and baked off.  It wouldn’t be right to show off half-finished work. Bucky had grumbled half-heartedly but he and Tony had shared a fond look when Steve ducked back to his work. He hadn’t even touched the small puppy figurine yet but he had finally set the pencil down and picked up his paints and brush.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>From what he could tell, Bucky had just painted his mug grey.  Or at least it looked grey, when it was finished it could be anything from blue to green to black with as soft as the paints were.  Tony had to admit, he was curious what the man had come up with.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony settled in and picked up his little robot with probably far more excitement than was entirely necessary for the task and looked over when he caught Steve watching him fondly, “What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve shrugged, “Just glad you’re having fun, too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t worry, Beautiful, even our resident Grumpy Bear is enjoying himself,” Tony winked and Steve laughed, shooting an affectionate look at Bucky who just mock-scowled at them before zeroing back in on his mug.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony caught Steve’s eye again and flashed a mischievous smirk.  With careful movements he stretched across the short space between him and Bucky with the paint covered bristles of his brush extended toward Bucky’s face.  Before he could make contact however, a metal hand closed gently around his wrist. Bucky looked up with his brow arched with amusement, “Nice try, Doll. Gonna have to try a lot harder than that to sneak up on me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Before he could make his rebuttal, a cool wetness smeared across his own cheek and Tony squawked, hand coming up to swipe at the mess. He pulled his hand back to find his palm coated in blue paint.  He glared playfully at Steve who was </span>
  <em>
    <span>giggling</span>
  </em>
  <span> something ridiculous in his chair. “I’ll remember that, Rogers,” Tony groused though the effect was minimized by the grin that was fighting to take hold of his expression.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>His grin dropped in shock when the other side of his face was given the same treatment. “Oh come on, no more painting Tony,” he grumbled.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He looked up in time to catch Bucky and Steve exchange curiously unreadable glances.  The look was gone before Tony could fully process and both men were smirking at him. “You did try to start it, Tony,” Steve pointed out.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony tilted his head in acknowledgement of the point, “I’ll finish it too, just watch.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sure you will, Doll,” Bucky drawled, attention fixed back to his mug carefully held in his left hand.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony was fascinated, as he always tended to be, at how much delicate control Bucky was able to have over the metal appendage. He could hold fragile ceramics, bake a cake, or even make Tony come undone without leaving the slightest crack or bruise with the same ease he had when crushing the mechanical bodies of the bots they found themselves facing on the field. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony glanced over at Steve, acknowledging absently that he was the same way. Capable of feats of strength that were impossible for the vast majority of the unenhanced population but held that little ceramic puppy figurine so delicately between his fingertips that there really was no risk of it cracking in his hands.  Objectively, he knew that it had taken a lot of time and practice for both men to get a handle on their strength to be able to do normal, everyday things without leaving a trail of accidental destruction in their wake. He had seen enough coffee mugs crushed and doors taken right off of their hinges when Steve startled and had a moment where his control slipped to know that it was only their self-control and determination that let them do this sort of thing so seamlessly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>If he was honest, he was more than a little in awe of both of them. How the hell had he gotten </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> lucky?  He wasn’t sure he would ever fully understand it, why they would choose </span>
  <em>
    <span>him,</span>
  </em>
  <span> of all people.  He definitely wasn’t looking to question it though. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Are you going to need some more time?” Alicia’s voice drew each of them from their projects.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony blinked in surprise and glanced at his watch. “Wow, ah…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No ma’am,” Steve said politely with a grin. “I think we’ll be good to wrap up here in a few?” It came out as a question and he glanced at Bucky and Tony for verification. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, think it’s as good as it’s gonna get,” Bucky agreed, carefully setting his mug, mouth down, on the table and wiping his metal fingers absently on his jeans.  Tony made a mental note to help him get the paint out of the plates when they got home.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m good,” Tony agreed, eyeing his robot speculatively. It was unlikely to win any awards but Tony couldn’t help but be a little proud of his creation. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright, I’ll go get the cart and get your pieces back to the oven,” she said cheerily. “There are sinks back by the paints and brushes if you’d like to clean up.  Otherwise, I don’t have anything else for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you,” Steve nodded with another small smile.  He quickly gathered the brushes scattered over the paper-covered table and started stacking the used palates.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll handle clean up, Steve,” Alicia interrupted kindly, gently taking the brushes and dropping them, bristles down, into one of the little plastic cups filled with water in the center of the table. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Okay,” he agreed somewhat bashfully. Clearing his throat awkwardly he glanced back to meet Tony and Bucky’s amused expressions and rolled his eyes. “Are we heading home now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony tugged his phone from his pocket and was relieved to see the expected text from Natasha on the home screen. “Yup,” Tony said with a grin, rising from his own chair. “Home sounds like a plan.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He turned to the girl that was carefully gathering up their ceramic pieces and loading them onto a wheeled cart. “Thank you Miss Alicia,” Tony smiled. “How long does the whole...firing process usually take?”  He had already asked over the phone when making the arrangements to begin with but he knew that the other two men would be at least a little curious.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll be able to have them delivered tomorrow evening,” Alicia answered. “Ms Potts has already been in contact with our office to make the arrangements.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wonderful, thank you,” Tony grinned and then with a glance to the other two, nodded toward the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They walked in silence to the car but as soon as they pulled the doors closed behind them, Steve sighed and smiled softly. “Thank you, Tony,” he said quietly. “That...that was a lot of fun. I’ve never done anything like that before. We can go again sometime? Maybe?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony leaned over the center console to kiss him, lingering when Steve’s fingertips brushed gently over his cheekbone.  “We will </span>
  <em>
    <span>absolutely</span>
  </em>
  <span> be doing that again,” Tony said firmly when they broke apart. “Told you we were going to have a whole room dedicated to it.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Come say hello on <a href="https://alwaysabrighterdarkness.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Something Blue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>“What’d you wish for, Stevie?” Bucky asked fondly after Steve had blown out the ridiculous number of candles that covered the surface of the cake. </p>
<p>“After today, I don’t know that I got a whole lot left to wish for,” Steve admitted, somewhat shyly.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Well, here we go! Here is the final chapter! It's the big birthday party.  For the record though, it's been ages since I've had or put together a birthday party for someone older than ten so, hopefully it's not too weird.</p>
<p>I had a lot of fun writing this whole thing and I hope that you enjoy it!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>He started the car and pulled from the parking spot, briefly meeting Bucky’s eyes and giving a small, subtle nod. The party was a go, all that was missing was the three of them.  Tony had to admit he was the most nervous about the party. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Aside from the cake and insisting that it wasn’t anything Captain America related, he and Bucky had stayed away from the party planning itself, trusting Natasha would have it handled. Giving up control on </span>
  <em>
    <span>any</span>
  </em>
  <span> aspect of that particular day to anyone other than Bucky was harder than Tony had anticipated though. That said, however, Tony knew that Steve’s fondness for the woman was something beyond friendly teammates and fell somewhere in the strange realm of </span>
  <em>
    <span>family. </span>
  </em>
  <span>The point was, though, Tony knew that Steve loved Natasha almost as much as he loved Tony and Bucky, albeit a little differently.  And Tony didn’t have to use an ounce of his genius to be able to tell that the fondness was returned in equal measures. Despite his anxiety, he knew that Natasha would come through, if for no other reason than that it was for Steve.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That meant that, logically, the planning of Steve’s birthday party should be in safe hands. Add Pepper to the planning, who Tony loved and trusted the same way that Steve did Natasha and Tony should have been entirely reassured.  He still didn’t know Sam as well as he probably should, not the way Steve and, to some extent Bucky, did but he seemed like a good man. And Steve trusted him, cared about him. So why was Tony so anxious?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He felt a steadying palm squeeze his shoulder and glanced up to catch Bucky’s understanding eye in the rearview mirror and sighed quietly.  At least he wasn’t the only one a little nervous. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Welcome home, sirs,” JARVIS greeted once they stepped into the elevator and the doors closed behind them. The elevator moved upward without prompting and Tony bit back the urge to sigh in relief. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you JARVIS,” Steve said politely, as he always did, leaning back against the elevator wall. “So what’s the plan for the evening?” he asked curiously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dinner and a movie?” Tony suggested idly, catching Bucky’s eye and having to tamp down his own grin of anticipation.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sounds great,” Steve agreed fondly.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The elevator came to a stop at the common floor, cutting off any further conversation as the doors slowly slid open. The large room had been decorated beautifully, though tastefully.  Not that he expected anything less from Natasha and Pepper. He was relieved that it looked like a celebration for a grown man rather than a five year old. Tony liked primary colors as much as the next guy but he hadn’t wanted to spend the evening bathed in them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve froze, just a few steps out of the elevator, eyes wide and mouth agape as he took in the room, leaving Tony and Bucky to inch around him and take in the surprise and awe in his reaction.  The entire team was accounted for, including Thor, with Jane and Darcy standing beside him, which was as much of a pleasant surprise as anything, Pepper and Rhodey were there too. Coulson was seated at the table beside Barton, though Hill and Fury were, thankfully, noticeably absent. Tony spotted Sharon Carter leaning against the counter. It looked like a pretty good turnout.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha broke from the group and approached where Steve still stood, stunned motionless. Her smile was one of her rare genuine ones when she stretched up to hug him, pressing a kiss to his cheek and Steve’s arms immediately went around her small waist, pulling her tight against him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Happy Birthday,” she said quietly, laughing softly when his arms tightened fractionally.  Her hand stroked the back of his head gently and Tony could hear a soft sniffling coming from where Steve’s face had tucked against the curve of her neck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha took a half a step back when he released her from his tight hug and Steve tried to wipe discreetly at the dampness of his eyes and cleared his throat roughly.  He was smiling though when he managed a soft “Thank you.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She looped her arm through his and guided him forward, further into the room and that seemed to have been the signal that everyone had been waiting for because Pepper and Sam were followed quickly by the rest of the team to wish their own happy birthdays.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony and Bucky held back, more than pleased to just watch Steve’s bright smile as their friends, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>family, </span>
  </em>
  <span>offered their greetings and Happy Birthday wishes. Tony had to admit that he felt a little teary-eyed himself over the whole thing. It was a delight to watch the usually composed Pepper make a small, startled sound and flush just slightly when Steve pulled her into a hug as tight as the one he had given Natasha and thanked her as earnestly as Steve Rogers was capable of being.  Steve and Pepper had always gotten along well enough but Tony had gotten the impression that neither had quite figured out what to make of one another. It was good to see the warm greetings between two of his favorite people. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And he could admit to being more than slightly amused by Bucky's mild grumbling when Steve hugged Sam just as enthusiastically as he had the two women. Tony elbowed him lightly in the side and shifted to lean into him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s not that bad, you know,” Tony commented with a small smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I know it,” Bucky said with a shrug. “I get along with Wilson just fine.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony hummed in teasing disbelief, “I don’t get all grumbly when Steve gives him hugs, though.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Just call it a friendly rivalry and leave it at that, Doll,” Bucky answered, eyes narrowed playfully. “Got no real problems with Sam Wilson.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Anymore,” Tony quipped, knowing he was right when Bucky just shrugged with an unconcern that might have been believable to anyone that wasn’t Steve or Tony. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Enough serious talk,” Bucky said, neatly changing the subject. “Stevie’s birthday party and we’re just standin’ here.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve had been herded to the table, seated and chatting enthusiastically with Sam and Darcy when Tony and Bucky caught up to him, Thor sliding a half-full tumbler across the table.  Tony eyed the glass curiously and then smirked. </span>
  <em>
    <span>That </span>
  </em>
  <span>would certainly make for an interesting evening.  Thor caught sight of Bucky when he squeezed Steve’s shoulder and pressed a passing kiss to his hair before dropping into the chair beside him.  Thor grinned cheekily and slid a second glass to a stop in front of Bucky. Bucky’s eyes narrowed suspiciously and he glanced at Steve and then up to Tony in question.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asgardian liquor,” Tony said simply and watched as understanding dawned on Bucky’s expression.  There had, after all, been a handful of tales shared of Steve’s rare indulgence in the substance.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bucky carefully raised his glass in Steve’s direction and Steve’s smile was excited and fond when he mirrored the gesture.  The two gently tapped their glasses together before taking a slow drink. Steve, familiar with the drink, downed the contents of his glass without hesitation but Tony noted that Bucky played it slightly safer, leaving roughly half of his in the glass for the time being. Tony could understand, last thing Bucky would want would be to ruin Steve’s birthday by unknowingly tripping some Winter Soldier trigger. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Pepper and Natasha took the reins once again and got everyone seated at the table, gesturing for Sam to the kitchen to help set up the dinner that had been organized. It wasn’t anything lavish, nothing that would have Steve shifting awkwardly in his chair trying to figure out what he was supposed to do or if he was going to need to pretend to like whatever new thing someone placed in front of him.  It seemed that Natasha and Pepper had called in more back up than Sam, Tony noted as he settled on Steve’s right.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Early on, when the team had tentatively agreed to actually </span>
  <em>
    <span>be</span>
  </em>
  <span> a team and had come to reside in the tower, they had all taken a vested interest in Steve’s modern education.  Everything from movies and music to--Tony’s personal favorite--food. For a man who grew up on poverty and rations, Steve had been unsurprisingly fascinated by the wide variety of food available. Between Natasha and Bruce’s influence, he had very quickly come to favor the spice and flavors found in Thai and Indian cuisines.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Natasha had, apparently, cashed in on that particular fondness because the food being settled onto the table was very familiar and undeniably the work of one, Doctor Bruce Banner.  They could have ordered it all in easily enough, hell they had </span>
  <em>
    <span>done</span>
  </em>
  <span> it often enough.  But once again, Tony was firmly reminded of the depths of Natasha’s care for the man sitting next to him.  Ordering in was fine for movie nights or lazy evenings following hard Ops and no one could be bothered to cook for a ravenous group of superheros. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Natasha had known, and Tony couldn’t help but agree, that doing so wouldn’t have been good enough. Not for today and definitely not for Steve.  It would have been too impersonal, too removed from the feeling they were attempting to offer Steve. Even if he didn’t think so, Steve was worth more than the half-hearted effort it took to call in an order to someone, somewhere, that wouldn’t really care what their meal would mean to the people it was being served to.  Natasha, of course, knew that too and had obviously recruited.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was a beautiful spread.  Despite their lunch at the diner, looking at the variety of food that Bruce--and whoever he had subsequently recruited to assist him--had put together while Tony and Bucky had gotten Steve out of the tower for the day.  Curry, tikka masala, butter chicken. They didn’t get Bruce in the kitchen nearly often enough and Tony’s appetite was viciously reminded of that oversight. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He glanced to his left and smiled fondly at the slight flush that had resettled on Steve’s cheeks, though Tony couldn’t be sure if it was because of the Asgardian alcohol, the party, or some combination of it all. It really didn’t matter, Steve looked happy and that was easily the most gorgeous look the man could sport. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The food, as Tony had anticipated, was outstanding and the conversation flowed cheerily. Tony was sure that both Bucky and Steve’s glasses had just been topped off for the </span>
  <em>
    <span>third</span>
  </em>
  <span> time and he ducked a grin behind his own glass. His first and, as far as he was concerned, his only drink for the night.  He wanted to be able to enjoy this. Tony was sure this was one of the very few occasions in which </span>
  <em>
    <span>he </span>
  </em>
  <span> was one of the most sober people present.  It was an interesting concept.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve was polishing off his fourth full plate of food, slyly snatching a piece of naan from Bucky’s plate, earning a playful scowl in response when Tony started noting that his cheeks were slightly pinker and his grins and laughs a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot</span>
  </em>
  <span> freer.  Oh yeah, he was sure Steve was feeling pretty good.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony leaned forward in his seat and caught Bucky’s eye, nodding in the direction of the kitchen.  Bucky shot an oblivious Steve a nervous glance and then got up from his seat and disappeared into the kitchen. When he returned, he had the large, layered sheet cake that he had created from memory balanced in his hands with far, far too many candles glowing from the surface. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tony quickly pushed away Steve’s plate and utensils and Steve blinked in surprise as the cake was carefully settled in front of him.  He tilted his head in confusion before tipping it back to meet Bucky’s steady gaze curiously. Tony watched his eyes widen in realization and grow damp once again when Bucky smiled softly and winked. Steve swallowed thickly as Barton led a very off-key version of the Happy birthday song.  Tony still tried his damnedest not to get misty-eyed over a cake but seeing Steve so obviously emotional was making it a difficult task.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’d you wish for, Stevie?” Bucky asked fondly after Steve had blown out the ridiculous number of candles that covered the surface of the cake. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“After today, I don’t know that I got a whole lot left to wish for,” Steve admitted, somewhat shyly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah?” Bucky smiled softly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Steve nodded, glancing around the table, that look of awe from that first moment he had stepped out of the elevator back on his face.  He cleared his throat again and smiled softly, “Yeah it’s been...It’s been perfect. Thank you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Good,” Bucky said, shifting until he could drape his arm comfortably across the back of Steve’s chair.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>To his surprise, the cake cutting and eating also turned into something of a storytime, with Steve and Bucky both laughing and sharing memories of Sarah Rogers. It was the most he had ever heard Steve talk about his mother. Okay, so maybe he got </span>
  <em>
    <span>slightly</span>
  </em>
  <span> misty-eyed, just not over the cake.  Tony glanced around the table, curious if the significance of it was registering to anyone else.  The team, who had been with Steve virtually from day one, listened with fond attention. Natasha exchanged a weighted glance with Sam and they both smiled softly.  Even Barton was attentive in a way that Tony usually only saw when he found a perch in battle.  </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Yeah, they knew.  They were getting to see one of the rare occasions where Cap allowed himself to just be Steve Rogers with them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And then Steve grinned teasingly and shot a sideways glance towards Bucky, “Buck was smitten with her for </span>
  <em>
    <span>years.”</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> have a fuckin’ </span>
  <em>
    <span>crush</span>
  </em>
  <span> on your Ma,” Bucky groaned, leaning back in his chair almost petulently. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“That’s why you lept every time she asked you to do even the smallest chore?” Steve smirked.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Better than makin’ you do ‘em and end up coughing up half your one good lung,” Bucky retorted.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve hummed disbelievingly and Bucky shoved at his shoulder in retaliation. Steve just grinned and caught his hand, squeezing affectionately. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s trying really hard to be convincing isn’t he?” Natasha asked, tilting her head consideringly with a small, amused grin. “Did you really have the hots for your boyfriend’s mother?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I think ‘hero worship’ might be a closer descriptor,” Tony inserted fondly and then shrugged with a smirk of his own. “But it might as well be the same thing to a teenage boy.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, not you too,” Bucky groaned.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s okay, Barnes,” Sam said with a grin. “It’s normal. Was seein’ this girl back in high school. Great girl. But let me tell you...Her mama though?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I did </span>
  <em>
    <span>not have </span>
  </em>
  <span>a-a </span>
  <em>
    <span>crush</span>
  </em>
  <span> on Sarah Rogers,” Bucky sputtered, and that same blush that had appeared at the ice rink rose over the man’s face.  Steve leaned over and kissed him softly, a simple affection not entirely unsuitable for a dining table discussion, but still outside of what Steve would typically initiate. But it seemed to be exactly what was needed to unruffle Bucky’s feathers just enough, especially when Steve’s face took on that familiar pinkened tinge when Bucky nipped at his lips in mild reproach before breaking away.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“So was that a thing? Did you have a crush on Mrs. Barnes too, Steve?” Sam asked with a playful grin.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve flushed faintly but shook his head with a low laugh, “Ah, no. I loved Bucky’s family as much as I loved my Ma but other than Bucky I didn’t really pay much attention to people back then. Not-Not like that, anyway.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“As long as your attention didn’t pick up on my old man, we’re good,” Tony said with a shudder that was only half-forced for dramatics.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?” Steve’s expression crinkled in amusing distaste. “No, definitely not.  Howard was always calculating too many angles for me to have had any interest like </span>
  <em>
    <span>that.</span>
  </em>
  <span> We were...friendly? Kind of? But it was always just setting the baselines for the next round of whatever tests his crazy mind wanted me to run through.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Steve shrugged, “besides, between finding Bucky and meeting Peggy, I think my attention was pretty well fully taken.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Smart, fiery brunettes with great legs and asses,” Natasha smirked. “Sounds like you’ve got a type there, Rogers.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Seems like,” Steve returned the smirk fondly after a quick, blatantly appreciative glance to both Tony and Bucky on either side of him. Tony downed the remainder of his one glass in one go in an attempt to hide both his mild blush and his smug smirk.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the--first round of-- cake was served and demolished, the party spilled from the table into the living room, sprawling over the various couches and chairs scattered around the room. A movie, though Tony couldn’t have even begun to name which one, was playing in the background but he was certain that no one was paying more than passing attention to it.  He couldn’t help but grin victoriously when Barton pulled out the large zippered case that held his beloved Cards Against Humanity collection.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Suffice to say, it devolved beautifully from there. Steve spent the evening laughing so hard that he wound up doubled over with his arm around his stomach bracingly.  Even Bucky had managed to lose some of the stiffness he seemed to cling to when among larger groups. Seeing him grin freely and trade witty, playful barbs with Clint and Sam was just as beautiful to see as Steve’s easy laughter was to hear. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It was late by the time things started to wind down and all that was left was the team and Pepper.  The cards were put away in exchange for easy flowing conversation. Steve was relaxed back into his spot on the couch between Tony and Bucky, fingers laced with theirs on either side, and his smile just as bright--if a little tired around the edges--as when he had greeted Natasha.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce was the first of the team to call it a night.  Followed shortly by Pepper, who didn’t startle this time when Steve pulled her into another grateful hug.  She just returned the embrace and kissed his cheek affectionately before saying her good nights. Tony couldn’t help but notice that Natasha didn’t seem to stick around long after that and he tamped down on the urge to comment.  Best let that one play out however it would without his interference.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It wasn’t until Tony glanced over and caught Steve shaking his head to pull himself out of a light doze and Bucky with his head rested against the back of the couch, eyes slightly distant, that Tony realized how late it had gotten. It was unusual to see the two men so worn out by a day that didn’t involve some form of battle and Tony couldn’t help but feel pleased that they were tired out from </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span> things for once. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>It had been a good day.  One of the best in recent memory, actually. Truthfully, Tony had somewhat anticipated their day being interrupted by one crisis or another.  Looking at Steve and Bucky as he trailed them into their bedroom that night, Tony was relieved to have been proven wrong. It was simple and domestic, undressing, preparing for bed and then climbing in and curling comfortably around each other. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A year ago, Tony wouldn’t have thought this sort of thing was something he could have.  Hell, a year ago, he hadn’t even known that he was, yet again, missing Steve’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>actual</span>
  </em>
  <span> birthday.  And now, here they were.  Soft kisses and gentle sweeps of hands over skin as sleep quickly began to overtake all three of them.  He couldn’t help but wonder what other sort of lovely traditions the three of them might come up with in the years to come.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Huh.  The years to come.  Wasn’t that a thought.</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>That's all folks!</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Feel free to come say hello on <a href="https://alwaysabrighterdarkness.tumblr.com/">Tumblr</a>!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>